Keyed building block wall



y 9 1951 w. H. ELLlS 2,552,712

KEYED BUILDING BLOCK WALL Fi led March 8, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V ENTOR.

la/a4 64M H EAL/S BY v 14 T TOR/V5 VS 2JSheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 8,1949 Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to building blocks and more particularly tobuilding blocks having a key locking means engaging therein for securingoverlying courses of similar blocks together.

It is an object of this invention to provide a building block of thekind to be more particularly described hereinafter which is formed to beinterlocked with overlying building blocks to provide smooth surfacedouter walls, rigidly secured together and having locking membersengaging in the overlying blocks. The locking keys are formed with shortlengths of metal rods for interlocking engagement with subadjacent keysin a manner to substantially provide for vertical metal reinforcementwhich is secured in the masonry structure as the progress of thestructure is advanced. In this manner substantially prefabricated,building blocks may be assembled to various sized walls, partitions orbuildings, the various side structures being formed of the same sizebuilding blocks.

Another object of this invention is to provide a building wall formedwith light weight building blocks which are novel in structure andarrangement to provide for the erection of a masonry structure atappreciably reduced labor cost; having vertical reinforcing steel rodswhich are positioned at the time of laying the blocks to provide a rigidand solid structure.

With the formation of a building block in the manner herein described,the cost of fabricating a building wall is appreciably lessened from thepresent standards of building cost as the usual free airspace in suchblocks is utilized for engaging the locking key and reinforced securingmeans for adjacent blocks, leaving the outer surfaces of the blockwithout a break.

With the above and other objects in View, my invention consists in thearrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in thedrawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, and partly insection of the intersection of a partition with an outer wall, thepartition and outer wall being formed with building blocks constructedaccording to an embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view, partly broken away, and partly insection, of a corner formed by the engagement of outer side walls.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, partly broken away and partly insection, of the intersection of a partition with an outer wall, thepartition being 2 formed of building blocks smaller than the buildingblocks of the outer wall.

Figure 4 is a perspective view, partly broken away and partly insection, showing the intersection of a pair of partitions or innerwalls.

Figure 5 is a transverse section, partly broken away, of building blocksdisposed above the openings, as the window or door openings in abuilding having walls formed with building blocks of this invention. I

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a large three unit building blockconstructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a large size building block formed forengagement with an' intersecting wall or partition.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a one unit, large siZe building block.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a narrow building block formed for theengagement of corner walls.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a two unit, large sizebuilding'block, formed for engagement of a reinforcing rod within thewall.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a three unit narrow building block.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a narrow size building block formedfor engagement with an intersecting building block.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a reducing block for securing theintersection of a large or wide block with a wall or partition formedwith narrow blocks. I

Figure 14 is a perspective view of a large size corner building block.

Figure 15 is a perspective view of a building block locking key,particularly designed for the small size building blocks.

Figure 16 is a perspective view of the large size locking key for thelarge building blocks.

Figure 17 is a perspective view of a modified locking key for use inwalls formed with transverse reinforcing rods.

Referringto the drawings, the numeral 20 designates generally the outerwall of a building formed of building blocks constructed accordin to anembodiment of this invention. The building blocks 2| are formed ofconcrete or other suitable material and are generally substantiallyrectangular in configuration. The blocks 2| are formed with verticallyopening passages therein which define units or cells, and various sizedbuilding blocks 2 I may be employed, certain sizes embodying more orless number of cells than others.

In Figure 6 there is shown a standard form of large sized building blockhaving three units. Each of the units 22 of the building block 2|comprises the side walls 24 and 25 of the block 2| and is closed on theends by the end walls 26 and 21 or by one end wall and an intermediatepartition or wall 28. Each of the units 22 is defined by the void 29 orvertical opening through the block between adjacent end walls or an endwall and an intermediate partition.

A portion of each cell 22 of the building block 2| is formed with aguide channel 39 within which a locking key 3| may be engaged.

The guide channel 30 is defined by the space between one of the endwalls or intermediate partitions and a pair of inwardly extendingconfronting beads or lugs 32.

The guide channel 30 is defined by the space between one of the endwalls or intermediate partitions and a pair of inwardly extendingconfronting beads or lugs 32. Most of the blocks 2| which define abuilding wall or partition are formed of blocks having transverse keyreceiving channels 30 therein and in these blocks 2| the lugs or ribs 32are formed integral with the side walls 24 and 25. The ribs 32 arespaced apart transversely of the block 2| and longitudinally from theadjacent wall or partition. In Figure 6', the building block 2| isformed with three of the unit cells 22 therein and other buildingblocks, as building blocks 35 having two of the cell units 22, are shownas forming the outer walls and partition in Figure 1.

In Figure '7 there is shown a building block 36 formed for connectingtogether intersecting walls or partitions. The building block 36 isformed with a pair of longitudinally disposed cells 22,- at the oppositeends thereof disposed in substantially the same manner as thelongitudinally disposed cells 22 of the building block 2|, shown inFigure 6. The center unit 22 in the building block 36 is disposedtransversely thereof, normal to the alignment ofthe endmost cells. Withthe disposition of the center cell 22 at right angles to the vendmostcells in Figure '7; the key receiving channel 30 is disposedlongitudinally of the block, substantially parallel to one of the sidewalls 31 thereof. In all other manners the building block 36 is formedsubstantially the same as the building block 2 described above.

In Figure 8 there is shown a single unit building b'lock 38 having asingle cell 22 therein. The use of a building block 38 provides for thefilling, inof corners or spaces resulting from the ofiset, overlyingengagement of building blocks having multiple units, as at the cornersor partitions where only a single unit is required. The single unitblock 38 is formed with end walls. 39 and 49 connected together by sidewalls 4| and 42. Inwardly, extending beads or lugs 44 are fixed to orformedintegral with the side walls 4| and 42 in substantially the samemanner as the inwardly extending beads 32 of the building block 2|. The

outer walls of the cell or block, 38, together with the beads 44 definea unit 22 having a void 45 at one end thereof and a channel 46 at theother end, on the opposite side of the beads 44, defining a single cellor unit 22 which may be posi tioned in any selected relation to thedisposition of. an adjacentbuilding block.

In Figure 14, there is shown a building block 4'! having a pair oicellsor units, 22 disposed at right angles to each other. The building block4l l.is formedasa part of the. building block 36 described above, foruse at corners or intersece 4 tions of walls or panels formed withbuilding blocks of this invention. In the block 41 one of the channels3|] is disposed normal to the length of the channel 3|! of the adjacentcell 22.

In Figures 9, l1 and 12 there is shown a smaller type of building blockformed in substantially the same manner as the building block describedabove and particularly designed for inside partition or building Walls.In the preferredembodiment of the narrow type ofbuilding blocks 48, 49,and 50 the blocks are formed with openings or cell units 5| formed insubstantially the same manner as the cells or units 22 of the wider orlarger size blocks. In Figure 9 the block 43 is formed withrightangularly disposed units 5| for corner connections or intersectingconnections of building walls'or partitions. In Figure 11 the buildingblock 49 is formed with a plurality of cells 5| therein the cells orunits 5| being disposed in alignment with the length of the blockshaving the channels 52 thereof'disposed transversely of the blocks. Inthe block 50, shown in Figure 12 of the drawings, one of the cell units5|; as the middle unit,- is turned at right angles-to the' end cells toprovide for the engagement of intersecting walls in substantially thesame man ner as the building block 36 described above.

In Figure 13 the building block 54 is formed with one enlarged or widecell unit 22 at one end thereof and a reduced or narrow cell unit 5| atthe other end. The reducing block 54 is particularly designed forengagement ofan outer wall with an inner wall or partition. As the innerwalls or partitions are generally of a mo: narrow width than the outerwalls, a reducing block-54 of this type provides for the fixedconnection of such intersecting walls. As noted above, in the formationof the building blocks and the disposition of the cell units therein, atintersectons of building blocks or walls the cell units are disposednormal to each other. The particular disposition of the reducing block54, in its use with intersecting walls or panels is clearly shown inFigure 3 of the drawings wherein the outer wall 55 is generally formedwith building blocks 35 of the larger size, while the intersecting innerwall is generally formed with the narrow type of block as noted by theblock 49 described above. The inner, narrow wall extends inwardly fromthe outer wall 55 in alignment with the narrow section 5 l. of thereducing block 54, while the outer wall 55 extends in alignment with thecell unit 22 on opposite sides of the reducing block 54.

For connecting the larger size building blocks. as the building blocks2| and 36 together, I have provided a connecting key or key member 3|which is adapted to be slidably engaged in the channels 33 therein. Thekey .member. 3| is formed of a body 53 which is preferably made ofconcrete or other suitable material. A pair of longitudinally spacedapart metal rods 5'? are embedded in the concrete body 56 and extendupwardly from one end thereof. The lower end of the bodies 56 are formedwith downwardly opening recesses or bores 53 therein which are adaptedto receive the upwardly extending rods 51 of a subadjacent key memberfl.

For use with the narrow type of building blocks, I have provided aconnecting key .mme'ber .59 having a body 50 and an upwardly extendingreinforcing rod 6| secured therein. The rodillv in the body Gil isdisposed relative thereto in substantially the same manneras the. rods51 in the body 56'.- The body 60 is formed with a down'- Wardly openingrecess 62 in the bottom end thereof within which the upper end of theupwardly extending rod SI of a subadjacent key member 59 may be securelyengaged. The key 59 is particularly adapted to be secured in the channel52 of the narrow type of building blocks, as the building blocks 48, 49and 50 shown in Figures 9, 11 and 12 of the drawings.

In the use of the building blocks described above, to provide for thesecure formation of the walls, the footings 64 are formed of concreteand are provided with longitudinally extending grooves or chases on theupper side thereof. The upwardly opening chase 65 in the footers 64 isof substantially the same width as the key members 3|, as the lowermostof the key members are adapted to be engaged within the footing G4 andto be anchored in the chase 65. In the for mation of the building wall20, shown in Figure 1, the lowermost course of building blocks issupported on the upper surface of the footing B4 and the key members 3|,which engage in the channels or guides 30 of the building blocks ex-"gether. When the lowermost or bottom course of blocks is engaged orpositioned on the footing 64 the keys 3| of the lower blocks are engagedtherethrough and the chase 65 is fully groute'dto .the reinforcing rods68.

tudinally extending reinforcing rods 68 are seated in the upper recessesor grooves 14 before the locking keys are engaged between the blocks. Inorder to provide for the locking of the blocks 69 together in the samemanner as the locking together of the blocks 2|, the locking key 16which is formed in substantially the same manner as the locking key 31,is formed with a downwardly opening groove or cut-out portion 11 so thatthe locking key 16 will substantially straddle The locking key 16 isprovided with upwardly extending reinforcing rods 18 on the upper endthereof and is formed with opening 19 on the lower end thereof withinwhich the upper ends of the reinforcing rods or subadjacent locking keysmay be securely engaged. The length of the reinforcing rods 68 may besuch as to conform to the local building regulations for reinforcing thewalls or openings of this kind, and will normally extend outwardlybeyond the side edges of the openings a suitable distance to provide fora secure and firm connection of the building blocks over the opening.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of constructionherein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A wall construction, comprising a footing provided in its top with awide chase, horizontal layers of unitary hollow blocks arranged upon thefooting, each block including sides and ends forming a main recess, thesides of each block having a pair of vertical opposed spaced ribs formedupon their inner faces for providing reduced passages between the ribs,key-slabs for each layer of blocks and having substantially the width ofthe main recesses of the blocks and provide for the secure fastening andengagement gaged in each of the blocks as it is positionedand then thechannels 30 and the voids 29 in the same unit as the channels are filledwith concrete or other suitable grouting material so thatthe overlyingbuilding blocks are securely mounted to the underlying course and to thebase; "By

fully grouting the cells 22 within which the, key

members 3| are engaged, substantially concrete building posts are formedinteriorly of the walls, the building posts being formed as the erectionof the wall progresses.

In the formation of building walls havingv door or window openingstherein, as the opening 61, noted in Figure 5 of the drawings,reinforcing rods must be employed in the connection of the buildingblocks above the opening. To provide for the disposition of thereinforcing rods 68 within the wall, in Figure 10 of the drawings thereis shown a modified form of building block 69 wherein the end walls 10and H and the'intermediate walls, as the intermediate wall [2 are formedwith longitudinally aligned recesses 14 and 15 on the upper and loweredges thereof.

When the building blocks 69 are positioned in course above the windowopening 61 the longi- By substantially subinserted within such recessesand engaging behind the ribs, the key-slabs of each layer having theirlower ends projecting downwardly below the blocks and their upper endsterminating short of the tops of the blocks, the lower ends of thekey-slabs of the lowermost layer extending into the chase and the lowerends of the key-slabs of each successive upper layer of blocksprojecting into the upper ends of the main recesses of the next lowerlayer of blocks behind the ribs, and a concrete filling within the mainrecesses of the blocks and extending through the passages between theribs to be bonded to the keyslabs.

2. A wall construction, comprising a footing provided in its top with awide chase, horizontal layers of unitary hollow blocks arranged upon thefooting, each block including sides and ends forming a main recess, thesides of each block having a pair of vertical opposed spaced ribs formedupon their inner faces for providing reduced passages between the ribs,key-slabs for each layer of blocks and having substantially the width ofthe main recesses of the blocks and inserted within such recesses andengaging behind the ribs, each key-slab being provided at its bottomwith a socket and at its top with a rod projecting above the same, therOd of the key-slab being inserted in the socket of the next upperkey-slab, the key-slabs of each layer having their lower ends projectingdownwardly below the blocks and their upper ends terminating short ofthe tops of the blocks, the lower ends of the key-slabs of the lowermostlayer extending into the chase and the lower ends of the key-slabs ofeach successive upper layer of blocks projecting into the upper ends ofthe main recesses of 7 the next lower layer of blocks behind the ribs,and a concrete filling within -the main recesses of the blocks andextending through the passages between the ribs to be bonded to thekeyslabs.

3, A wall construction, comprising horizontal layers of unitary hollowbIOcks, each block ineluding sides and ends forming a main recess, thesides of each block having a pair of vertical opposed spaced ribs formedupon their inner faces for providing a reduced passage between the ribs,key-slabs for each layer of blocks and having substantially the width ofthe main recesses of the blocks and inserted within such recesses andengaging behind the ribs, each key-slab being provided near itstransverse center with a vertical slot spaced from the top of thekey-slab and extending through its bottom for forming spaced legs, eachkey-slab being provided at the bottom of its legs with sockets and atits top with projecting rods, the rods of the key-slab being insertedinto the sockets of the next upper keyslab, the key-slabs of each layerhaving their lower ends projecting downwardly below the blocks and theirupper ends terminating short of the tops of the blocks, the lower endsof the key-slabs of one layer extending into the recesses of the blocksin the next lower layer, and a concrete filling within the main recessesof the blocks and extending through the passages between the ribs to bebonded to the key-slabs, and horizontal reenforcing rods arranged nearthe meeting edges of the layers of blocks and passing through thevertical slots.

WILLIAM I-HTE ELLIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 742,709 Mitchell et a1 Oct. 27,1903 1,40%,6'47 Rackle Jan. 24, 1922 1,499,483 Simms July 1, 19242,212,184 Powell Aug. 20,1940 2,239,930 Pebls Apr. 29, 1941

